Intention's
by The Akuren Princess
Summary: Years later after the Obito-insanity-world-domination-attempt incident, whatever became of the Akatsuki after Obito was defeated? Has Naruto made his dream of becoming Hokage a reality? How does the arrival of five new Ninja in Suna who hail from the mainland, affect everyone including the heartless Sabaku No Gaara, and the Genius of the Uchiha Clan Itachi? Full Summary Inside!
1. Memoirs of the Past

**_I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does!_**

**_The only characters I own are My OC's (Akuren Airen, Shikudo Blake, Akuren, Eklipse and Akuren Adrian, and Shikudo Wraith!)_**

_**AN:**_ – Chapters will be taking place between Suna and Konoha. Airen's parts will be in first person, as will other characters. This will switch between First and Third points of views. Multiple characters with OC's. Also involves Yaoi (male x male) **DON'T LIKE DON'T READ...**

_Summary_

Years later after the Obito-insanity-world-domination-attempt incident, whatever became of the Akatsuki after Obito was defeated? Has Naruto made his dream of becoming Hokage a reality? How does the arrival of five new Ninja in Suna who hail from the mainland, affect everyone including the heartless Sabaku No Gaara, and the Genius of the Uchiha Clan Itachi? Where have the rookie-nine, who have all grown into young adults stand in the world of Shinobi? Gaara has a girlfriend? You'll have to read to find out! **NON ASUMA DEATH, NON UCHIHA MASSACRE, NON ITACHI DEATH/BLINDNESS** (due to Mangekyo Sharingan use)!

**_Intention's_**

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_Italics - Flashback_

_They arrived in Suna, immigrants from the mainland; their former lives lay dead in the past. A chance meeting between the mainlanders, rogue missing Ninjas and one of the Sand Siblings._

_Kunai flew through the air, not aimed at anyone or anything in particular. The five mainlanders turned to face the missing ninjas, hoping to prevent bloodshed in their new home village before they even settled in. _

_The young girl whipped around, blocking a Kunai with her Katana. In a flash of light she had her blade pressed up against the throat of one of the attackers. Her older brothers and their fiancés also had turned and faced the rogues. Shuriken and Kunai flew back towards the offenders, thrown by the group of five that turned to face them. Rogues on either side of the girl we mercilessly killed by the swift, accurate weapons thrown by the hands of her family._

_They all failed to notice the blade laced with a silencing Jutsu, and pure chakra coming from an alley to the left of the girl. Needless to say they also failed to detect the young man in the shadows following behind the leader silently in the opposite alley._

_The ninja in the shadows leaped over the building and hid, watching the battle with red eyes. As the girl decapitated the man whose throat she was pressing her blade into, the momentum of cutting through his neck clean to the other side made her lose her balance. It was then when the leader decided to strike out. _

_With lightning speed he leapt for the girl in her moment of un-preparedness. A Kunai shaped like a trident, in both his hands, he threw one ahead of him, keeping the other close to his body. Using his speed to catch her unaware he jabbed the girl in the stomach._

_The other would be "assassin" leapt into action seeing his leader attack, enraged by the death of his brother at this girl's hand. His eyes bled red, as he charged, fueled by hatred and fury and thoughts of revenge. _

_Her family realized moments too late that they couldn't stop her from being harmed and they stood frozen in time watching the double assault on the last remaining female of both Akuren and Shikudo clans._

_As the blows were about to be dealt, a wall of sand blocked the leaders first Trident Kunai he had thrown, and then captured the leaders hands in the sand that was slowly forming around his weapon. _

_The girl remained unharmed but frozen by the sudden whoosh of sand coming up between her and her attacker. She heard "sand coffin" and an ear piercing shriek from the leader whose hands were trapped in this deadly sand that had protected her._

_The other man was still charging at her enraged at her beyond all belief. However, the wall of sand that formed a barrier between her-self and the first attacker happened to only be half formed, which unfortunately, left her open for another assault. _

_Just as the man was about to make contact his wrist caught in a vice- like grip and in a few moves by this man who had intervened on her behalf, dropped the Kunai he was holding, it clattering to the hard ground and forgotten soon after. _

_He held his hands to his head and screamed bloody-murder trapped in an invisible nightmare, the mysterious man glaring at him with icy, blood-red eyes. With his back to her she stared at him, his cloak flowing around him as his eyes continued to glare at the man writing on the floor._

_The group traveling with the girl looked stunned, unsure of what happened or what to say. As the sand receded to the ground and the man in pain stopped screaming and lay motionless, dead due to some unseen force. _

_Her family, thankful that she was unharmed rushed to their female group member. "Are you alright!?" they screamed at her in pained breaths, their worry for her well-being evident in their voices. "I'm fine" was all she could manage, while swiping her Katana through the air to rid it of the blood covering it, she placed the deadly weapon back into its sheath on her waist, a soft click was heard as it slipped and locked into place. _

_The young girl turned to her saviors, "Arigatou...uh..." her words failed her as she realized she had no clue as to whom these men where who saved her. _

_A voice sounded behind, her startling her a bit. "Kazekage-sama" she turned towards the voice the man was bowed to the shorter man in red Kage robes and a Kage hat, which mind you, did a hell of a job covering his face._

_The man who spoke also had a hat on like the kages with bells hanging off it. "Uchiha-Sama" was the response. "Arigatou Uchiha-Sama, I didn't notice the other one in the alley and without your intervention…" "My pleasure, Kazekage-Sama" The man in the Kage clothing spoke to the young woman and four males who had protected his village, without even being a part of it. "I thank you on behalf of Suna" the Kazekage said bowing low._

_The young girl replied in a small, very shy voice "It was nothing" her thoughts running a mile a minute to remember her studies back on the mainland._

_'__I remember reading about the 5 kages; he must be the one of Suna that I read of. He's so young…and this other man, who is he, his eyes have the Sharingan meaning he's an Uchiha, but I don't remember anything about the group he was in. Black cloak with red clouds…Akat…Akatsuki…that's right the Akatsuki, but what are they doing here in Suna, I thought they broke apart when they lost their leader Madara Uchiha'_

_The young girl was so lost in thought she never heard the Kage ask her for her name until her family introduced themselves. "Gomenasai, my name is Akuren Airen! Pleasure to meet you Kazekage..." she said Kazekage slipping off her tongue as if tasting the way it sounded._

_"__Pleasure to meet you Akuren-San, I am Sabaku no Gaara, my companion, who helped save you, he paused letting his hand refer to the man who had saved her, is Uchiha Itachi-Sama" The other man stood up to his full height his eyes never wavering off her face, and never changing back from the frighteningly beautiful, icy- red Sharingan. _

_'__So this is Uchiha Itachi, the renowned genius of the Uchiha Clan, and current leader of the Akatsuki, well what's left of them. If this is how he deals with an enemy...I wonder what he's like to his friends...' His smooth voice ripped her out of her thoughts she was sure shed have whiplash later from how fast she turned her head to face him._

_"__Pleasure to meet you Akuren-San, Arigatou Gozaimasu, for protecting our village" gently smiling back at him she went back into thought 'if he's an Uchiha, why is he here in Suna, loyal to the Kazekage?' _

_She again was pulled out of her thoughts by both her hands being pulled into gentle palms and then the backs of her hands were being gently kissed. Both Kazekage and Uchiha genius were kneeling in front of her kissing the backs of her hands with butterfly kisses, their own personal way of thanking her for saving the villagers._

_A woman ran up to Airen and knocked Gaara's hands off which in turn caused her to lose her balance, and sent her flying back away from her place by Gaara. Screaming at a very confused Airen at the top of her lungs and vocal range, the girl with short brown hair proceeded to scream "GET YOUR HANDS OFF GARRA!"_

_Airen was stunned by her words and after being knocked back in the blink of an eye, her reflexes were pretty much shot. The young woman, who she didn't know, had hit her, and screamed at her to get her hands off the Kazekage, when in all reality it was the other way around. She knew she was gradually losing her battle with gravity, feeling herself falling towards the ground in slow motion and knowing she couldn't stop herself; gave in to the force of nature which was known as gravity. She shortly found out that imminent impact with the hard ground was out of the question, since a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her, holding her steady against a well-muscled chest and mid-section. _

_Looking up, she noticed that Itachi had settled behind her holding her gently upright with her back up against his chest and his arm's firmly wrapped around her waist. Gaara's sand had also rushed to support her as well as Itachi, acting without him moving to "protect" a future investment he held and someone he was most grateful to._

_All this went down as Gaara scolded the woman. "MATSURI!" he said in a tone that would have frozen Lava "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!" Meanwhile, Airen had regained her balance with the help of Itachi and the sand and was looking confusedly at the woman who Gaara was now scolding." _

_Airen-San are you alright?" a concerned Uchiha said in a whisper against her hair. Airen nodded; and after a moment he nodded then gently he let go of her waist supporting Airen's body as he gently lifted her back off his chest so she was standing on her own. He remained hovering behind her to make sure she didn't topple over again. _

_Matsuri turned toward the confused girl and continued to nearly shout at her "KEEP YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF GAARA, HE'S MINE AND ONLY MINE!" she bellowed, not even bothering to call him "Sama". _

_"__Matsuri, what the hell are you doing putting your nose where it doesn't belong, you know better than to bite the hand that feeds you" Itachi said in an ice cold voice as he glared at her._

_"__I'll call Gaara whatever I want and I will not bow to you, you damn fucking UCHIHA!"_

_"__MATSURI! THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH" Gaara stated his voice as close to yelling as it would ever get his temper seething and evident in the swirling, violent sand around Airen, Itachi and himself. _

_"__Ano, Gaara…" Matsuri sputtered but again she was cut off by him "YOU don't have the right to call me anything but Kazekage-Sama is that clear?" "H...Hai...Kazekage-sama" she stuttered out her voice and body quite shaken, her humiliation and fear showing she cast her eyes downward in an attempt to hide. _

_Turning to Airen and her family, Gaara spoke to them in a calm voice "Let Uchiha-Sama and I escort you back to my residence and allow you a night's rest" he stated looking at the five outsiders and his ANBU operative Itachi. _

_Said Uchiha merely nodded and followed the group; Matsuri followed sulking and seething to no one in particular at the rear of the group._

_Meanwhile, Itachi continued to stay close to Airen, feeling a deep connection with the petite girl by his side. 'What is this feeling…could I have found my soul-mate?' were his thoughts as he walked by her side in silence. _

_On her other side a very pissed Kazekage walked, lost in his own chaotic thoughts as he felt a pull to defend the girl who had saved his people. 'Could she be the one, the one Temari and Kankuro told me I would find?' _

_They continued to walk when they were called out to by a voice" "Gaara" a female with blonde hair pulled into four ponytails and a huge fan strapped to her back called. "Temari" was her only response and notice that he had acknowledged her presence. _

_The Kunoichi looked at her younger brother questionably when he answered her in his icy voice, but before she could speak Matsuri ran to her "Temari, I beg of you please help me Gaara is being mean to me! And that bitch that's with him, she pointed a finger at Airen, is the reason!" she finished screaming and crying while glaring venom and hatred at Airen. _

_"Enough! Get off me Matsuri what the hell are you babbling about now, and for further reference 'it's Temari-Sama," she seethed her annoyance evident in her tone she chose to use to reprimand Matsuri._

_Turning back to her otouto she continued into the conversation Matsuri had rudely cut into. "I was wondering what rumor the villagers were spreading about a fierce battle and bandits, is this true Gaara." _

_Gaara merely nodded, and that's when Temari noticed the five strangers with her younger brother. As she readied her fan, she sunk low into a battle stance, but before she could react he called her off "Temari, that's enough, they are the ones who saved the village" _

_Temari looked stunned by the news that her youngest otouto conveyed. Matsuri, who had recovered from her prior cold shoulder with Temari, tried to get on her good side by standing with her. She shoved and pushed her way, rather harshly past Airen shoving her into Adrian who wrapped his arms around her to steady his sister._

_Her family moving in front of her angry enough to kill the bitch now for the way she treated their youngest group member, sister and or sister-in-law and heiress to both Shikudo and Akuren thrones, in her attempt to get to Temari. Temari stayed crouched down in her battle stance and eyed Matsuri with eyes that were analyzing the whole situation. _

_"Matsuri, you've obviously caused trouble here. Now I've business to do with my brother and would be so much better without your constant interruptions, and outbursts of complete idiocy. You've been her long enough to know that you need to address us with proper honorifics." she said in a scolding manor as if she was saying this to a child caught in the act of doing wrong. _

_Her hand drifted to Gaara to prove her point and set give an "example". Matsuri flinched at Temari's harsh tone of voice and she looked at the ground knowing she was indeed in trouble again, this being her second scolding from Temari, the first one came moments before when she glomped her._

_Coming out of her battle stance and lowering her fan she spoke in a quiet voice "I'm going to go visit Kankuro's grave, you should too Gaara" she paused then spoke again "Oh by the way Gaara, I'll be heading to Konohagakure after I visit our deceased brother, Shikamaru sent word he misses me and that I'm due for a visit. You should visit our departed brother as well Gaara" she said her tone going soft, filled with sadness." _

_"__I did this morning" was his clipped response; "Be safe, Temari there are plenty of rogue ninja waiting for a chance to take a hostage; to try and obtain my position as Kazekage of Sunagakure" He said looking at his sister._

_Temari smiled "I can handle myself, but I'll take precautions I promise" she turned and never looked back as she took off across the rooftops towards where she and Gaara's brother lay._

_"__Kazekage-Sama?" Airen spoke in a tiny voice, catching his and Itachi's attentions immediately. Gaara looked at her his eyes and voice going soft as he spoke to her, "You can call me Gaara, no need for honorifics Airen-San" _

_Airen looked shocked at his sudden announcement, and Matsuri well she charged at the poor unsuspecting girl from behind. Pissed off beyond anyone's capability of understanding._

_Hearing the way he treated Airen different and spoke to her with more kindness and compassion than he ever showed her, had set off a string of chain reactions in the young Kunoichi. _

_The only thoughts that ran through Matsuri's mind were corrupt and fueled by jealousy and envy 'Why does she get to call him Gaara! I've been by Lord Kazekage-Sama's side for years; she shows up and is allowed to drop his honorifics in less than two fucking hours!'_

_She didn't think, Matsuri just charged, hoping to incapacitate Airen using the defensive weapon Gaara had trained her with so she could gouge her insides out with the Kunai's she had in her back pouch._

_Itachi was the first to react, grabbing her wrist, breaking it in several places and forcing Matsuri to drop the weapon that Gaara had chosen and showed her how to use when she first became a ninja. She cried out when Itachi broke her wrist, but he didn't even flinch at the emitted sound, just kept glaring at her with his Mangekyo Sharingan, his fingers never releasing her now shattered wrist. _

_A wall of sand immediately erected at Airen's backside when he felt Matsuri's malice towards Airen. She turned to face the threat, the wall of sand dropped ever so slightly so she could see over it, but it was still swirling violent and ever dangerous protecting everything from the neck down on Airen, as it moved on Gaara's command and with his will. _

_The sand was slowly forming around Matsuri's body creeping ever so slowly, consuming all it touched. Gaara was in a half crouch, right in the middle of a hand sign chain for his Sand Coffin Jutsu. _

_Airen had crouched into her battle stance turning and facing Matsuri locking eyes with the young sand ninja. She was totally shocked that she would attack her, and allowed her-self to be blinded by Jealousy and Envy. _

_"__MATSURI" Gaara roared "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE BEFORE I KILL YOU MYSELF!" "Ano, Kazekage-sama!" "GET OUT!" She scrambled backwards, Itachi letting her shattered wrist go, watching her every movement with his crimson eyes as she scrambled away from her Kage. She kept her eyes locked with Gaara's the whole time. _

_"__Are you alright Airen-San?" Gaara and Itachi worried voices cut through the silence at the same time, and once it was said they looked at each other shocked and then back at the girl who had captured their hearts. _

_"__Ha...Hai" she said a bit shaken. _

_Meanwhile Airen's family chased a defeated and broken Matsuri a block and a half through Sunagakure. As they returned to the group they noticed the girl swaying and shouted the remaining distance "Airen!" catching up to them after returning from running off Matsuri "I'm okay, don't worr…"_

_She collapsed in the middle of her battle stance, Wraith just barely catching her before she fell towards the earth any further. "I've got her don't worry Eklipse" he said to his fiance, never bothering to look at him as he picked her up bridal style. _

_Taking the time to look at his fiancés worried face; he carried her as tightly to his chest as he possibly could without crushing her, and together they continued on their way to Gaara's residence. _


	2. A Fatal Mistake

**_Intention's Chapter II_**

**_A Fatal Mistake_**

"Speaking"

_'Thinking'_

**_I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does, however I do own my own OC Airen Akuren, Adrian Akuren, Eklipse Akuren, Wraith Shikudo, and Blake Shikudo._**

**_A year after their arrival in Suna _**

Airen Akuren, a distinguished member of the Akatsuki, (which now in Uchiha Obito's PERMANANT absence, was now run by Uchiha Itachi; and the top captain of Sunagakure's ANBU Special Back Ops Forces team 1, had just come in late from an S-Ranked ANBU BLACK OPS mission entered her apartment through the bedroom window. The extremely well accommodated, spacious, top of the line apartment shared by her two siblings and their fiancés was all thanks to the courtesy of the 4th Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara.

Too tired to even change out of her gear, she flops back on her bed, and instantly passes out. Wraith Shikudo, her elder brother's fiancé hears her return to the apartment. Being a night owl himself, comes to check out what's going on and why he never felt her chakra till she was right in the next room.

He notices her passed out cold still fully dressed in her ANBU gear; smiling to himself he takes a blanket off the foot of her bed and drapes it over her. Leaving the room he secures the window and silently makes his exit back to the meditation room.

A knock on the door early the next morning awakens with a start, her hand firmly on the handle of her weapon of her choosing, a reverse blade Katana. She notices a blanket has been laid on her, and knows she didn't have enough energy to even try for a blanket to cover her-self with, and wonders how it got there. Still on high alert and glaring at the door, Airen calls out, praying her voice doesn't relay how sleepy she really is. "Who's there?!" Silence is the only thing to greet her for a moment she wonders if shed imagined the knock.

The voice from the other side of the door pulls me out of her thoughts as I crouch into my battle-ready position. "It's me my love; will you open the door so I can see you?" I can hear Gaara's voice telling me to open the door so he could see me. He's been so engrossed into his paperwork, and I on my missions (no thanks to one Matsuri) we haven't seen much of each other.

'Damn that Matsuri keeping us apart so she can have Gaara to herself while I'm away on S-Ranked ANBU missions that in miss Matsuri's point of view says that I'm the only one capable of handling when I know full well that there are other skilled ANBU on MY entire team could handle the mission's I've been on, and it would be quick and painless but no_..."You're the only one that can do this Airen pleaseeeeeeeeeee." _

The memory is burned into my permanent memory and the voice won't stop echoing in my mind!' 'How annoying she is, because of these shitty stunts she is pulling, Gaara and I haven't had a chance to be together in the past few months.' I let out a growl of displeasure at the thoughts that are now racing through my mind. "Are you going to let me in?" his voice permeates through the door once more, soft, kind, and ever patient when it comes to me. I blush madly as I realize that I've forgotten all about him in my mind flashback.

I quickly unlocked the door for him and he steps inside. Closing the door behind him; he pulls me into his arms, resting his forehead against mine. "Do you know how much I've missed you" he breathes. I look up into his eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him as a response to his question. He kisses back, it's just as I remember, just as sweet, and he still tastes amazing.

We break apart after a moment, both breathing rather hard. His voice cuts through the silence "You need to stop or were going to end up in a very compromising position" his tone and eyes relaying me he isn't telling me anything but the truth. I pout, wishing we had the time to be alone a bit longer in solitude with just each other, but I know that isn't the case. I un-wrap my arms from his neck and take a step back.

"Airen…" he starts. His voice's tone has fallen, and now carries a cutting, calculating, edge to it.

Damn, that tone, something's up.

I pull him to the couch and sit down on the overstuffed cushions, pulling him with me. Somehow he manages to maneuver me onto his lap, so he's lips are at my neck just below my ear.

"Airen, Matsuri visited me today, and has been every day that you've been gone on your mission" I nodded slowly digesting his spoken words, he continued "She wants me for herself still, and hates you even more since the day Itachi broke her wrist and I almost killed her for attacking you."

He stopped and took a breath, trying to compose what he was going to say to me.

"If I find she's been sending you on these missions for months at a time, and that she is trying to cause you intentional harm, and not just sending you because you're the only one capable to perform these missions, I will not forgive her" he breathed out all in one breath, his pain evident in the tone and way he was speaking to me.

"I know that my team(referring to "her" team, can handle any of the missions I've been sent on, but I know that I was hurt during the last mission; I didn't want to worry you, but now that you have heard it, I guess that there is no point in hiding it from you anymore."

I sighed, realizing that I had just spoken what I promised myself that I wouldn't. He tensed behind me "where" his voice was just barely above a whisper, and full of worry.

I got up off his lap, and sat on the couch, he moved to the floor kneeling in front of me. He looked up into my eyes and I watched as his eyes slowly fell to my wrist as he watched me pull up the wrist band covering the wound.

His breath caught in his throat as he saw the extent of the damage that had been done to me. His body tensed as he looked at my wrist; it looked as if I had slashed myself to ribbons on purpose, but I would never do such a thing, and he knew it.

He pulled my wrist to him, applying a firm pressure on my wrist to slow the blood flow. I was now beside him sitting on the couch. He kept his fingers on my wrist, even though his hand was now covered in my blood.

"I need a medic in here now!" he screamed, not knowing how much blood I'd lost already, and worried that the blood I had lost was a fatal amount.

The door was kicked I, knocking it off its hinges and splintering the frame to pieces. My brother Adrian's fiancé came in and kneeled in front of me, Gaara's fingers were removed by Blake's gentle hands as he tried to assess my wound. Gaara's eyes never left my wrist, not even to acknowledge Blake's arrival.

Seeing the blood Blake instantly applied pressure on the wound making me wince slightly, noting this, the pressure let up a tiny bit so I wasn't uncomfortable.

A green aura of chakra enveloped my wrist, and the wound started to knit together right before my eyes. A few minutes later he removed his hand and looked fatigued as he looked into my eyes "Blake!" I started to say but he held up his hand telling me to still my voice.

"I'm okay Airen, just over did it a bit. I wanted to make sure you were alright so I pushed a lot faster and a lot more Chakra that I would have if it were anyone else" he said trying to take deep calming breaths and regain his composure.

"Arigatou Gozaimasu Blake" Gaara said as he helped Blake stand. Blake noticed that Gaara's hands were covered in my blood "Kazekage-Sama, would you like me to remove that blood?" Gaara shook his head and Blake watched in amazement as his sand absorbed the blood and his hand was left untainted.

I broke the moment, asking "Will it scar?" He shook his head no, and I was relieved, I wouldn't have to cover my wrist for the rest of my life.

The tension in the air and in Gaara's body dissipated now that I was out of immediate danger of death. "If that's all you need Kazekage-Sama" Gaara nodded and Blake got up shakily, and headed out the now door-less splintered frame. He paused, and gave a small piece of advice to Gaara and myself…

"She will need a blood transfusion just to be sure she's going to be alright" Nodding to him as he exited the small room, Gaara looked down at me, and I at him.

I questioned what I would do without a door with my eyes no words were needed as we understood one another that well. He smiled as his sand created a door that I would never have to open again and would auto lock anyone who wasn't supposed be there out.

"The door is created out of sand which is infused with my chakra, it'll keep anyone who's unwanted or not welcomed out, and you'll never have to lock or touch it to open it." I smiled and kissed his cheek "Arigato Gaara" he smiled at me and then his sand absorbed the blood soaked wrist band that I had worn for the mission right before my eyes.

"You lost quite a bit, let me get you that transfusion" he pulled an empty blood bag from the pouch on his lower back. After getting rid of all the air in the lines and bags, he proceeded to fill it with the blood from his body. I watched in amazement as he inserted the needle with expert knowledge of his own body and without skipping a beat, into the vein was where it was supposed to be, the first part of the transfusion process started.

Once the bag was full he stinted the blood flow and changed out the line and needle. I looked at him and watched as he said nothing and inserted a new line and needle attachment into the bag once he cleared the air out of the line once more. He simply placed my arm on his for support, and inserted the needle into the vein in my wrist.

"Gaara, how is this going to work my blood type is..." I didn't get to finish my sentence because he finished it for me "Your blood type is the same as mine, which would be AB". He pulled me gently back into his arms after he put in the transfusion line. "Itachi's is also type AB so we can both be donors if the need ever should arise." He said after he had finished with inserting the needle and now it was a waiting game for the blood to finish draining into my body.

We sat there together his arms wrapped around me for what seemed like forever; I didn't care how long the process would take, I was comfortable, and with the only person I wanted to be with at this very moment in time.

When the blood finally finished draining into my body he repeated the earlier process as he did when he removed it from his body, and in moments he had stopped the blood flow.

"How do you feel" he whispered against my neck" a little while later. "I'm feeling much better, "Arigatou Gozaimasu, Gaara" He nodded and then asked "What time did you get in last night, or rather this morning?" while he was looking at me.

I looked away not wanting to face him, not wanting to tell him what he wanted to know because I knew how worried he would be...

"Four-A.M. this morning Gaara, that's when I returned" His body tensed against mine and then his lips found my temple. "Matsuri will have to have a talk with me about this." his lips whispering against the tender skin of my temple. The conversation turned, as his body relaxed and he asked me another question.

"Are you hungry?" I gently nodded my head, and snuggled into him again, my head resting on his chest, directly above his beating heart. He in turn wrapped his arms tighter around me; we stayed there for a while neither wanting to move from the comfort we felt at that moment in time.

When he finally released me he told me to get into the shower and to wear the Akatsuki Cloak that used to be Itachi's and after some alterations for my height, had given me as a gift when we started dating. I nodded and pulled my outfit, plus my cloak, Katana, and my engagement ring that Gaara had proposed with, and headed into the bathrooms walk in shower.

I heard Gaara leave, the sand door hitting the floor behind him with a gentle thud. As the warm water relaxed my muscles and the fatigue from last night's mission away, I stood there wondering what Gaara had planned for our dinner date, and what the night's events had in store

I found myself thinking of one Uchiha Itachi, who I hadn't seen in eight very long, seemingly endless, torturous months.

_Itachi held me close; his latest mission came down from the Kazekage himself, infiltration of an enemy nation's village's, the time frame for this particular mission: unknown._

_He buried his face into the crook of my neck, breathing in my scent, taking it into his lungs, taking me into his being. _

_"__I don't know when I'll be back Airen; please don't wait for me if another opportunity for happiness comes along…" _

_My breath caught in my throat. _

_"__Itachi, how could you even think that?!"_

_He stared at me in shock at my voices tone, and then whispered _

_"__I want you to be happy Airen, being by your side and being able to love you have been the best parts of my life…" his voice breaking and faltering at the end._

_A tear slid down my cheek as his words sank deeply into my heart, embedding them-selves forever into my soul. _

_"__Itachi there is no other for me, you and Gaara, you two are my life the only ones I want"_

_"__I know Airen; Kazekage-Sama is the only one who I'd be willing to share you with because I know he can protect you as well, if not better than me in my absence." _

_I held onto him tighter not wanting to let him go, with the knowledge and fear that I may not ever see him alive again, never be able to hold him or kiss him, locked in my heart, and at the forefront of my mind._

_"__Aishiteru Airen…" _

_He pulled my chin upwards gently, and I found myself kissing him hard, fire and passion, intertwining with his icy exterior. He shoved me into the wall and held me there kissing me as if the world was going to end. His hands roaming my body, remembering every curve, tracing every individual vertebrae of my spine, and finally coming to rest on my lower back. I knew he wasn't sexually advancing on me, however, all I wanted in that moment was him, his skin sliding over mine, our bodies melding together between silken sheets._

_That's when I remembered Gaara was standing mere feet away. _

_My face heated with that knowledge, yet I didn't want this moment to end. My fingers dug into his shoulders, our passion, almost visible, and then before anything else could happen we broke apart, panting for breath, I noticed he was hard, and only because I could feel him against my thigh. _

_He looked deeply into my eyes, holding me in a passionate gaze with Sharingan-laced eyes, relaying that my feelings in this moment, were the same ones he was feeling, the need to be with me, two beings_ _entwined, and united, mentally, physically, and emotionally, into one. _

_I buried my face into the crook at the base of his neck, my lungs bringing him into me as much as I could before he vanished for god knows how many months…. _

_I am sure Gaara could feel the passion; however, he was silent the whole time, allowing us time to be as alone as we could be, whilst holding himself as the Kazekage._

_"__Itachi" I breathed, feeling his arms wrap slightly tighter around me, pulling me more snugly into his chest, for the last time for a long while, that much I knew, and I didn't want him to leave._

_He lifted me into his arms, my arms wrapping themselves around his neck and locking there, my legs wrapping around his slim hips and my heels digging into the small of his back. _

_"__Aishiteru Airen" he whispered into my hair, his arms still wrapped around my form, holding me to him. _

_He gently un-wrapped my reluctant form from around his thin, muscular, frame, and set me on my feet, steadying me in the process. His arm behind my lower back, hand resting on my hip before, it disappeared, me not realizing we'd walked to Gaara._

_He embraced me for the last time, putting his all into this one last embrace as we started our journey towards Gaara, wanting to hold me one last time, and convey the feelings in his heart clearly to me before he was forced to leave me there by Gaara's side. Itachi leaning down to brush a kiss on my forehead as he headed out to complete his mission was the last thing I felt, and "Aishiteru, Airen…" was the last thing I heard from his perfect, beautiful mouth._

_Tears rolled down my face unchecked as he walked to me to Gaara, who took me into his arms as soon as I was released from Itachi's side. I broke once I was in his embrace,, his body moved in a gentle sway that calmed me down as well as his calm heartbeat, beating loudly into the ear that I'd lain on his chest. He released me from his arms and wrapped an arm around my waist once I had calmed, turning me so I was at his side facing Itachi with him. With that done, my Itachi dissipated right in front of my eyes._

_Since that night we shared our slight passion, I haven't seen him…_

I stood there remembering his lips against mine and the tears fell, mingling with the hot water running down my face and disappearing down the drain with my sorrow. "Itachi" I whispered, letting out a scream of extreme hurt and anguish.

Adrian rushed into the bathroom coming through the apartment window from his room across the balcony to get in, not wanting to waste the time to use the front door.

"Airen, Airen!" What's the matter!"

"Adrian…" I sobbed, "I…I…miss Itachi…"

Adrian sat on the bench built into the wall and talked to me gently.

"Airen, I know you miss him, I'm sure he misses you too, please try to be strong until he returns."

I'll try, Arigatou Adrian…"

Silence fell into the space between us and we were left to wallow in our own thoughts.

"Feel better little sis?" he questioned a little while later, my well-being in the forefront of his mind the whole time.

"Hai" was my shaky response.

"Good, I'm going to head out to meet up with Gaara-sama then."

"Hai, I'll be out soon."

'Come back to me soon Itachi'. "Aishiteru…"

Adrian had once again helped me through my bout with loneliness, and he headed to meet up with Gaara at Matsuri's office. It was nearly dusk as I looked out the window and wondered where Gaara was, he hadn't returned from talking to Matsuri.

* * *

><p>Itachi, coming back from his S-Ranked covert mission was rushing back to Suna as fast as he could, stopping briefly to grab a drink from a stream. When he stood up he thought he heard Airen's voice saying Aishiteru to him but he wasn't sure so he whispered it to the wind "Aishiteru Airen, forever and always"<p>

He restarted his journey about an hour from Suna. Gaara would be waiting, they all would be reunited in Suna soon enough.

* * *

><p>Gaara, headed down the hallway headed towards ANBU headquarters. 'Matsuri is going to pay, Airen got hurt because of that damn mission!' He was soon flanked by Eklipse and Wraith.<p>

"Where are we headed Kazekage-Sama" Wraith asked in a low growl.

"Matsuri's office" was Gaara's two word growl to his asked question.

Gaara and Airen's family reached the Compound of the ANBU headquarters at the same time Adrian did.

Gaara was seething; he grabbed the nearest ANBU operative which happened to be Blake Shikudo…Adrian visibly tensed when his lover was "assaulted." But stayed quiet.

Where is Matsuri!" Gaara snarled into his face, the rage seeping out into his words as he spat venom.

Blake pointed to the office, and Gaara strode by him.

Pausing a few steps past Blake then turning around and facing the young Nin.

Blake was shaken but refused to show it to his Kazekage. He was tense, but when Gaara placed his hand on his shoulder, he relaxed knowing he was being praised.

"Blake, you're promoted to ANBU dispatch director" and strode past, emitting a "don't fuck with me aura".

Eklipse and Wraith were on his heels, both with waves of murderous intent rolling off their forms.

Adrian stopped to congratulate his lover on his promotion, while Gaara confronted Matsuri.

"MATSURI" he almost yelled. She turned around happy to see her crush had come to see her.

"Kazekage-sama, Aishiteru" she smiled, and prayed he would fall for her cute looks.

"You're fired Matsuri" with that he turned and walked away.

"That slut of yours is the reason for all my problems! She's a fucking whore Gaara, why can you see that!" Matsuri spat at him, the toxic words dripping with her hatred, and envy of Airen.

Before she could speak another hateful vengeful word of Airen, Matsuri was viciously slammed back first into the wall of her former ANBU office .

"Eklipse!" she spat at him and then clawed at his hand as he deliberately crushed his hand on her throat closing her windpipe.

"Speak again of Airen the way you did girl, I'll kill you without a second thought for your pathetic life bitch!"

With that he put a bit more pressure on her windpipe, and then dropped her unceremoniously to the floor.

"Airen doesn't deserve you Kazekage-sama!" Matsuri said gasping for air, Eklipse's brutal assault taking its toll on the girl.

The only worlds Gaara spoke were laced with malice, and filled with killing intent.

"Matsuri, RUN DON'T COME BACK YOU'RE NOT WELCOME IN SUNAGAKURE AND DEFINITLY NOT WELCOME IN KONOHAGAKURE. IF YOU SHOW UP THERE YOU WILL BE PUNISHED NOT ONLY BY ME, BUT YOU WILL BE PUNISHED BY THE HOKAGE IN KONOHAGAKURE, UZUMAKI NARUTO." Gaara roared at her, scaring her shitless.

This being the first time he had ever raised his voice to this level at her.

Matsuri paled and bolted from her former office after his verbal assault on her. She never looked back, but all the while plotting for Gaara to be hers and the painful, excruciating death of one Akuren Airen.

"Eklipse"

"Hai Kazekage-sama" Eklipse said bowing low"

"Send a messenger to Konohagakure, addressed to the Hokage Uzumaki Naruto, explain Matsuri's missing ninja status and that I ask she is not allowed into Konohagakure"

"Hai Kazekage-sama" with that Eklipse was gone, preferring to deliver a message to Naruto himself, so the message would be direct with as few people in between as possible.

With Matsuri taken care of, Gaara headed to wait on a certain S-ranked ANBU to return to Sunagakure with a completed report of his mission's details and stats.

* * *

><p>Itachi had been running for a while now, Suna was in sight so he pushed on digging into the last of his water and then running over the desert towards where he left the one he loved, the only thing that kept him sane anymore.<p>

Approaching the meeting place Itachi hid his chakra so he wouldn't be discovered sooner than planned, and silently he landed by the Kazekage.

"Gaara"

Gaara turned to see his best ANBU infiltrator return to Sunagakure.

"Welcome home, Itachi."

Looking Itachi over, Gaara noted that he was unharmed and very much alive, and his eyes held desire for one thing and one thing only…Akuren Airen and nothing was going to stand between him and the one he desired.


	3. MatsuBloodRei

**_I do not own Naruto Kishimoto Masashi does!_**

**_Chapter III: MatsuBloodRei_**

**_MatsuBloodRei: A sturdy group of energetic people devoted to serving Matsuri and Orochimaru/Yakushi Kabuto._**

**_Konohagakure – Early on the day Matsuri fled Suna_**

What was left of the rookie nine stood in the cemetery of the fallen ninja, to say their thanks on the anniversary of their deaths, to those who had fallen during the Uchiha Obito incident. The list consisted of Rock Lee, and Akimichi Choji. Jounin's and their former team captains stood silent at the graves mourning the loss of their comrades.

Uzumaki Naruto, current Hokage of Konohagakure stood among them, his fiancé, Hyuga Hinata unable to attend due to stress brought on earlier that week.

Yamanaka Ino was the first to break, falling to the ground crying. Her best friend Haruno Sakura knelt by her, trying to comfort her friend. Only a few cried for Rock Lee, Uzumaki Naruto, and Guy Sensei were among them.

Nara Shikamaru looked at Ino, feeling her sadness for their fallen squad 10 member. As final farewells were said the crowd thinned, leaving Ino, and Shikamaru at the grave site. An Akatsuki member waited in the distance for his girl to leave. He was heartbroken to see her like this and vowed to protect her always. He waited patiently, without saying a word, sending up a silent prayer for those fallen from Konohagakure.

Ino had finally stopped crying and went to stand up, her body was numb and she didn't realize she couldn't stand on her own power. She fell, not even bothering to scream for help the whole time just wishing the pain to go away. Shikamaru who was standing behind her, saw Ino try to stand and had already calculated the next few scenarios, all of which involved his surviving teammate toppling over. He was already in the process of his shadow possession Jutsu hand sign chain when she fell.

He caught her in his shadow long enough to walk her to him and let the Jutsu fade as he reached her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest, allowing her to cry it out on him. Her tears staining his vest, her body shaking with the force of her sobs against him, he held her silently.

The man in the cloak by the graveyard exit saw his beloved fall, and closed the distance between them,and in seconds reached her. He took her gently from Shikamaru's arms and cradled her to his chest.

"Arigatou Gozaimasu Shikamaru-san", he said to her squad member for protecting her. Shikamaru nodded and kissed Ino's forehead before heading to wait on his own Kunoichi to arrive.

"Ino un, I'm right here I'm not going anywhere, Aishiteru" Deidara gently said while holding her.

The Akatsuki member held his beloved, speaking softly to her to calm her fears. She knew she was safe in Deidara's arms, as he held her to his chest they walked back to their apartment in the village of Konohagakure.

Eklipse made it in record time to Konohagakure, after a critical exam and running the orders given to him from his Kazekage by Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and his ninja hound partner Akamaru, he was granted entrance and escorted to the Hokage tower to meet with Uzumaki Hokage.

They led him to the office door then left, but not before Naruto told them to be back in Forty-Five minutes, the two nodded and returned to their posts until the designated time.

Knocking on the door he heard "enter".

Bowing low to show his respect

"Hokage sama I've urgent news from the Kazekage Sama Sabaku no Gaara" Eklipse relayed

"Speak" Naruto responded in a commanding voice

"Hai, Hokage-Sama, Kazekage Gaara-Sama has banned and exiled Matsuri from his village and asks you do the same"

"Doshite"

"Matsuri wants Gaara-Sama's lover dead, and Gaara-sama for herself, Hokage-Sama" Eklipse relayed bowing low.

"Very well, Matsuri will not be welcome in Konohagakure and I will let the members of Akatsuki who serve under Uchiha-sama know"

"Arigatou, Hokage-Sama, Uchiha-sama should be at Sunagakure by now, and I'm sure he knows".

"Of course, Kakashi Sensei!"

Naruto called for his advisor, most trusted ANBU and former Sensei.

"Hai Hokage sama, Doshite?"

"Send for the rookie nine and the remnants of the Akatsuki serving under Uchiha-Sama who reside here in Konohagakure, bring them here at once!"

"Hai!"

He summoned his ninja hounds and sent them to each of the rookie nines/Akatsuki residence.

**_With Matsuri – Suna Outskirts_**

Matsuri ran from her life in Suna, away from her sexy Gaara Sama, running away from everything she knew.

"Gaara-sama is scary! That bitch has him, and I won't allow her to continue on her ways! I will have Gaara Sama and I will kill Akuren Airen and all of her beloved family! I swear it!"

She stopped in a clearing, to rest, shed run all the way from Suna to here without stopping.

As she caught her breath a figure stepped into the clearing but remained in the shadows of the trees.

"I hear you want a certain Kazekage in your arms and a Kunoichi dead."

"What's it to you"

"Oh but my dear let me help you, give me a blood pact and I'll give you power!"

Several more figures joined the lone one and they all advanced on her

"We the former Akatsuki give you our oath to follow you till the end"

"Where are Deidara and Sasori?" noticing there were two of the 10 missing.

She knew where Itachi was and she seethed at the thought of it.

"So do we have a deal Matsuri?"

Orochimaru grinned and Kabuto sliced his and his lord's hands and then Matsuri's to mix into a blood pact seal.

"Now that were sealed together I want to change the name to Mitsubloodrei instead of the Akatsuki."

They all agreed to her terms knowing they could get revenge on both the Leaf and the Sand with this one girl. Orochimaru evilly smiled 'now it's just a matter of time' Orochimaru wanted Sasuke and the curse hadn't been lifted so there still was a chance that he was going to achieve his goal and attain the Mangekyo Sharingan from Sasuke and become all powerful.

Konohagakure Night– Choji and Lee had been honored at the place where they rested earlier that day on the anniversary of their untimely deaths.

**_Yamanaka Ino & Deidara_**

Deidara and Ino had arrived back at their small shared apartment, Ino still carried in Deidara's arms. After laying Ino onto the bed he laid beside her, gently talking to her to try to soothe her. The death of her teammate left a hole that couldn't be fixed and probably would never seal. "Ino un, Aishiteru" Deidara whispered into her hair, as another wave of sobs wracked her small frame.

He pulled Ino into his arms and his heart shattered into smaller pieces at the heart wrenching sound she emitted. 'God help her heal, and let her be at peace' Deidara thought as he continued to hold Ino with one arm and stroke her hair with the other hand.

A half hour later she fell into an emotionally exhausted sleep against him, wrapped safely in his arms. For the little time she was allowed to sleep she dreamt of her comrade and the good times of Team Shika-Ino-Cho aka Squad Ten of the rookie nine.

Deidara was watching his beloved sleep when a light thud on the balcony had him tensing, and reaching for his explosive clay under his cloak. He gently got up and untangled himself from Ino, placing his body between her and balcony door.

He relaxed a little when he saw it was one of the Ninja hounds Hattake Kakashi summoned. He let the hound in and it noticed Ino sleeping, so they headed onto the balcony to talk. Once the door had been quietly shut.

"Hokage sama wishes you to gather at his office in a half hour, please be there" the hound said bowing low.

"Arigatou, I'll wake Ino and we will be there soon"

With that the hound left and headed back to Kakashi and Naruto to deliver the answer Deidara had given.

He walked back to the bed and gently nudged Ino awake. "Ino un, Hokage-sama wants us to gather at his office" he said in a soft voice. Ino's eyes opened brimming with tears, and threw herself into Deidara's arms. "It's alright un, cry all you want, but we have to get there in a half hour, and it's best not to be late for the Hokage.

"I...I…can't do it…" she said in broken sobs; her voice so full of fear, it pierced his heart.

Holding her tightly he whispered into her ear "Aishiteru Ino, always and forever"

"Deidara… I can't, I just can't!" Ino hysterically sobbed into his shoulder.

"Of course you can un this isn't the end."

He pulled her to her feet then picked her up bridal style, carrying her into the bathroom's walk-in-shower. Setting her down on her feet in the warmed room, he kept his arm around her lower back as he steadied her till she could stand upright on her own.

Kissing her cheek and exiting, leaving her alone and with her thoughts. She turned on the shower and got in washing the tears down the drain, and steeling herself for whatever Naruto threw at her today.

Twenty minutes later, Ino, fully clad in her ANBU gear and throwing her Akatsuki cloak over it, stood in front of the mirror looking herself over one last time.

Securing her headband around her neck she headed out of the bathroom to join Deidara. He was there waiting fully clad in his gear and Akatsuki cloak as well, tensing as he saw her form. 'Stunning as always' he thought, as his eyes roamed over her form.

Snapping out of the his thoughts "Ready to go Ino?" She nodded and they leapt out the window together, hand in hand running full out to greet the Hokage, Ino hoping to beat her "rival" Haruno Sakura to the office.

A determined smile made its way to her lips catching the eye of Deidara. "Now that's the Ino I know un" he said smirking. Gripping her hand tighter, they flew to the rooftops making their way across them towards the Hokage tower.

**_Uchiha Sasuke & Haruno Sakura_**

A pink haired Kunoichi had her head laid on her Uchiha lover, listening to his steady heartbeat, and became lost in thought about her lost comrade Rock Lee. He had always harbored a huge crush on her from the moment they met. She never bothered to returned his feelings, even though he'd saved her time and time again, his final attempt to save her had ended his life at the hands of Uchiha Obito.

She regretted it, a tear falling onto her human pillows chest. "Sakura" a concerned voice called. "I never said anything to Lee, even though he confessed his feelings over and over" she was cut off "Sakura, don't blame yourself for this, Lee did what he did and died for you because he loved you" he whispered into her ear.

They laid silently lost in their own thoughts for a few minutes. The ninja hound Kakashi send was approaching fast and silently, but before it could even land on the small window ledge, Sasuke had sensed its approach. His Sharingan flaring, he glared at the window, until the form of the dog showed.

Instantly, he deactivated his Kekkegenkai, gently removing Sakura's form from his person, got up, and let the dog in.

"What business do you have here" Sasuke stated, slightly annoyed.

"Hokage Uzumaki summons you"

"Fine, you're dismissed, tell him we'll be there"

The dog nodded and sprinted to the Hokage's office to deliver the answer.

"Sakura, Naruto wants us" he said sitting down on the bed.

"I don't think I can do it Sasuke…" Tears brimming Sakura's eyes, as she spoke in a shaky voice.

As a medical Ninjutsu user she had seen it all, but the state she found Lee in, scarred her for the rest of her life.

Sasuke stood up and started to dress himself to greet Naruto, his former team mate of squad Seven. He pulled Sakura up off the bed and into his arms once he had his pants on, his chest still deliciously bare.

She broke when he held her ever so gently, tears now freely flowing down her cheeks. She cried into his shoulder, his arms holding her gently, but firmly all at the same time. It was his way of letting her know he understood, but also that he was also a rock if she needed him to be.

Only after she calmed her sobs down did he let her go, wiping the tears from her eyes and cheek, then bending down he kissed her forehead, and his one free arm was supporting her lower back. Sakura was clinging to him again the moment after he kissed her forehead. She held the tears back knowing that they had to meet Naruto soon.

She went into the bathroom and washed the tear stains from her cheeks, as she did this Sasuke shocked her with what he said next.

"Sakura, lets beat Ino"

That was all it took, she flew past him into her closet, pulling on her gear and heading back to meet him.

He held her Akatsuki cloak for her to slip into and she put her headband around neck. He held out his hand and they leapt out the window, falling three stories before landing with a light thud and immediately taking off towards the office.

The only thing on Sakura's mind was beating her rival Yamanaka Ino. The thoughts of Lee lingered at the back of her mind, all but forgotten since her new goal hit the forefront of her mind.

**_Hyuga Neji & TenTen_**

Hyuga Neji lay awake in his bed; his lover TenTen in his arms sound asleep, the loss of Lee heavy on her heart. The week before Naruto took office as Hokage, his cousin whom he loved and had a good standing relationship since the first Chuunin exams, handed him the keys and the rights as heir to the Hyuga name.

She had convinced her father to remove the curse on Neji's forehead before he passed away. She then went and agreed to Naruto's lover now and after he became Hokage. She handed him the heir title right after she agreed to be Naruto's.

His life had been stressful as hell the last week with the funeral of his teammate and TenTen finally admitting her feelings for him. A small rattle on the door leading his semi enclosed garden caught his attention and he activated his Byakugan Kekkegenkai to see if there was a threat outside.

Seeing one of Kakashi's ninja hounds he deactivated his Byakugan and they talked in the garden.

"Lord Hokage wishes to see you and TenTen, please be there in a half hour"

Neji merely nodded and went to wake up TenTen.

The hound returned to the Hokage to relay the news.

"TenTen, Hokage-sama wants us to be there in a half hour"

She stirred and then jumped to attention.

"Neji why didn't you wake me" she shouted, throwing a pillow at his head.

"I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful"

She huffed "fine never mind, let's just go"

Inside, Neji was grateful it was a pillow she threw, and not a weapon. He knew she was deadly accurate and could have lost a limb or two if she had thrown any kind of sharp object.

They prepared for the meeting slipping into their ANBU gear and leapt out the window landing on the rooftops across the way and made their way towards the Hokage Tower.

**_Uzumaki Naruto & Hyuga Hinata – Naruto's office_**

Hyuga Hinata lay on the California King size bed, peacefully dreaming. She was so shocked the day Naruto had asked her out that she right out fainted. She had been dreaming of this moment and in the weeks past the excitement of everything had her exhausted. She had accomplished handing off the name of Hyuga Heiress to someone who deserved it.

Her only choice was her cousin Hyuga Neji.

A week before her father Hyuga Hisashi passed on, she pleaded with him to remove the curse mark so Neji would never have to suffer again. He finally, after much reservation, agreed to her request.

Naruto looked as his lover sleeping so peacefully

"Hinata…Hinata" he gently nudged her awake.

"Naru…to..kun" still half asleep, that little voice created heat gather in his loins.

Pushing those feelings away he concentrated on getting her up and ready for the meeting.

"Hinata we will be having guests soon, so please get ready."

Blushing madly she answered her fiance'

"Hai Naruto-Kun" as she got up and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

She heard Naruto say "Aishiteru Hinata-Chan"

Smiling and whispering it back "Aishiteru Naruto-Kun" as she closed the door and got ready.

Hinata took a hot shower then got out, dried off and changed into a Yellow and purple silk outfit. Not allowed on missions anymore because of her title there was no need to wear what she did when she was a Genin/Chuunin. She reminisced back and laughed at the memory of how frumpy she actually looked.

Fastening her headband around her obi, she went out with Naruto to wait on the arrival of their guests. Little did she know she was in for a reunion of the rookie nine. She did not attend the anniversary gathering at the cemetery plots for Lee and Choji.

Her body had never fully recovered from the damage Neji dealt to her during her first attempt at the Chuunin exams. She slept because everyone knew the stress of reliving their deaths would take a toll on Hinata, and would most likely kill her.

Neji had never forgiven himself for the damage he caused, and Hinata knew it. Not seeing her at the anniversary gathering for the death of his teammate, hammered the pain that much further into his being.

**_Nara Shikamaru & Sabaku Temari_**

After he had caught Ino and given her to Deidara, Shikamaru made his way back to the Nara compound, and lay on the roof of his house. Now the leader of the Nara Clan he had a ton of responsibility, and he used the roof as a place to admire the clouds and control his "cloud envy" as someone people called it. He looked at the rolling clouds, wishing for Temari to hurry up and join him.

He missed his Sand Kunoichi who was also his fiancé terribly, and loneliness was starting to get to him after losing Choji, his best friend. "Choji my friend, where are you now?" Nara said out loud to no one in particular looking up at the clouds.

A shadow that had fallen over him blocking out his sun, snapped him out of his thoughts. Leaping to his feet he turned to face the "threat" hands halfway into his Shadow Possession Jutsu hand-sign chain, instead Shikamaru was face to face with his fiancé.

"Temari…" he breathed a second before she launched at him. He barely had time to prepare to Catch her before she landed in his arms. "Shikamaru" she said as she leapt into his arms, tightly hugging him to her body. As she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his lower back, she buried her face in his shoulder, tears running down her face unchecked.

"I missed you… Aishiteru Shikamaru…"Her voice breaking as she said the words to the person who meant the world to her. His only response was to hold her tighter and let his actions try to speak louder than his intellect for once. When they broke apart he set her on her feet and they stood on his roof.

Temari had composed herself and spoke in her normal manor "

As I was passing through the gate, Inuzuka and Aburame said that Naruto wanted to see us."

A ninja hound appeared in front of them at that time, to deliver the same message as Temari had just a few seconds again. Seeing Temari there the hound just nodded at Nara, who nodded back. The dog bounded off across the rooftops back towards the Hokage tower.

"Ready?"

Temari took off before him, her actions speaking louder than her words. She was taunting him with her playfulness.

"What a drag" as he shot after her. He managed to catch her as she arrived at the base of the tower.

"Took you long enough" she teased. Her laughter at her ability to beat him made him smile.

Together they walked hand in hand to the Hokage's office.

**_Outskirts of Sunagakure-__(Dusk on the same day Matsuri ran from Sunagakure) – With Matsuri, Orochimaru/Kabuto, and the resurrected Akatsuki minus Uchiha Itachi, Hoshigaki Kisame, Sasori, Deidara and Uchiha Sasuke. _**

Matsuri had just completed a blood pact between Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto. After successfully renaming the Akatsuki to Matsubloodrei she was pretty happy and content. Orochimaru passed on his regeneration powers to Matsuri along with his snake based Jutsu for her to use.

"I am so glad I met up with you guys, now I'll have my revenge and you can get what you all want" Matsuri happily said.

Orochimaru nodded and smiled that snakelike grin

"Yes of course dear"

'unfortunately for you, once you get close to Gaara, I'll absorb him and then you to regain my powers I've bestowed on you'.

Matsuri looked at the members of Matsubloodrei and then lay back with the thoughts of marrying Gaara, and killing Airen. She allowed those thoughts to lull her into a false sense of secuity as she drifted off to sleep.

While Matsuri was sleeping, Orochimaru and Kabuto stayed awake talking about what they were going to do with Matsuri, Gaara and Uchiha Sasuke.

"Orochimaru-sama" Kabuto spoke in a low controlled voice.

"Yes Kabuto, Doshite"

"I would like to heal your hand Lord Orochimaru, where I cut you for the blood pact with that stupid girl over there" he said pointing to Matsuri.

"I will be fine; as you know, but if you insist Kabuto, do as you wish"

Holding out his hand to Kabuto, who immediately grasped it in a gentle but firm grip, and started healing it with his advanced medical Ninjutsu. Once the cut was sealed and the blood cleaned he went to the river to clean his instruments so they would not get rusty from the blood drying on them.

When he returned he resumed talking with Orochimaru about the plans not even the Matsubloodrei didn't even know about. The last words out of Orochimaru mouth were

"Pawns playing into the palm of my hand, what fools they are"

His cruel and evil laugh was the last thing heard that night.

**_Sunagakure – With Sabaku Gaara and Uchiha Itachi - Dusk_**

Itachi had just returned to the village, tired as he was from his infiltration mission he stood waiting for his Kage to speak.

"Itachi, you can relax, you're someone to be respected."

Itachi bowed,

"Arigatou Gozaimasu"

" Stand my friend, formalities are not needed when we are alone"

"You are right, Gaara-sama, I am sorry it doesn't feel right when I just drop the honorific. I was brought up in the most respected clan in all of Konohagakure." Itachi staring hard at the floor.

"It's alright, don't worry Itachi, I know it goes against every grain in your body and your pride to do nothing less, and how you were brought up"

Standing to his full height, Akatsuki cloak falling to lay motionless on his form, they looked out at the horizon.

"Gaara-sama, I am sure you have noticed by now.."

"That you also have a deep connection with Airen-san"

Itachi was shocked at Gaara's words. What he said next made his heart skip a beat, and his perfectly discipline mind to become chaotic for a split second.

"I am engaged to her, I suggest you get a ring as well because we can't be fighting over her"

"Arigato Gozaimasu" was all Itachi could say, he couldn't believe the Kazekage was willing to share the woman he wanted to rule beside him.

'Airen, Aishiteru' was the only thought running through his mind and heart.

"Itachi" Gaara caught his attention.

"I have to tell you what transpired today".

Itachi looked on, his eyes relaying to Gaara to keep talking.

"Airen returned from a mission early this morning, and when I found her, she told me she had been injured...

He paused taking a needed calming breath before continuing.

"When she showed me her wrist, it was mangled and the bleeding started as soon as I took off the pressure bandage she applied, which was soaked with her blood both dried and fresh."

Itachi's breath caught in the back of his throat as Gaara continued to speak.

"I performed a blood transfusion on her using my own blood since my type and hers are the same. She's going to be fine Itachi, I promise"

Itachi looked stunned but stayed quiet.

"I had reason to believe Matsuri has been sending her on dangerous missions to get rid of her."

"My suspicions were confirmed today when she attacked Airen verbally, thank god she wasn't with me, I'd have killed Matsuri right out in front of her if she had thrown one insult at our Airen"

Itachi heard the "our" Gaara had spoken and it didn't go unnoted, however, his body went rigid as he remembered the night he left her here. The passion they shared, which he fully intended to continue once they were properly engaged.

Gaara's voice pulled him out of his self-absorbed thoughts.

"I kicked Matsuri out of Suna and sent Akuren Eklipse to warn Uzumaki Naruto of her missing ninja status. and that ask him to not allow her into Konohagakure."

Itachi was tense and wanted to see to Airen even more than he had previously thought.

"She attempted to seduce me, when Airen was away"

"She didn't succeed did she" Itachi asked his voice tight from the information he was hearing for the first time. Gaara shook his head no to his question, Itachi letting out a sigh of relief, the mission's duration wearing on him, yet he had to persevere, for Airen's sake.

"Gaara-sama, give me a half hour to get the ring and prepare this cloak that will hide my identity until I release the Jutsu. I'll meet you at the restaurant, please bring Airen-san"

"I will you have my word, take your time I can stall her for a while"

With that Itachi dissipated into a swirl of Raven feathers and Gaara headed towards Airen's to pick her up…

**_Sunagakure - Airen's Apartment (Dusk) _**

I sat on the windowsill watching the sun drop towards the horizon, the colors mixing in the sky, and the rays disappear slowly from view. "Gaara, Itachi… Aishiteru" I whispered. Adrian's movement was the thing that my peripheral vision caught, causing me to turn towards him.

While I was staring out the window, Gaara had shown up, and using his Chakra he kept the door silent as he entered. Adrian had gotten up and was bowing, Gaara held up his hand and Adrian sat back down, relaxing despite the appearance of his Kage.

My face lit up when I saw him

"Gaara…"

I got into a crouch on the ledge I was seated on, and leapt the distance into his open arms.

"Aishiteru Gaara" I whispered, his arms tightened on my form and held me a half an inch off the floor.

Looking down into my eyes, his expression gentle and fierce all at the same time as his eyes pierced into my very soul.

"Are you ready for dinner?"

I nodded against his shoulder, he gently set me down and linked his arm with mine.

He left a note for Adrian that he had the night off and we exited the apartment. It was blustery and the desert night was fast upon us.

"Is that why you told me to wear my cloak tonight?"

He gently nodded and led me towards a well-known restaurant in Sunagakure.

A cloaked figure dropped in front of us, and Gaara pushed me slightly behind him.

"Who are you, and what want business do you have here" his voice was cold and all business.

The man took his hood off, and I could feel Gaara relax. A shadow-clone of Naruto Uzumaki stood before us.

"Gaara!" it shouted and then got right to business

"Akuren Eklipse stopped by, I received your message and wanted to personally inform you Konohagakure supports you in full; Matsuri is on our ANBU Black List. I must be getting back to the village now."

With that said, the clone dissipated and we continued on our way.


End file.
